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| photo: charles harbison |
today is a bit of a diversion from my usual friday fashion crush posts. a couple of things have me so excited...not only for the opportunities they present but also for their focus on creativity, the ability to encourage and grow fashion talent, and the positive ripples this will have throughout the world in general.
the first is the first lady's (michelle obama) reach higher initiative aimed to promote education and encourage young fashion enthusiasts to pursue careers in the fashion industry. on wednesday, the first lady held a workshop with 150 students from across the country, and bevy of fashion luminaries. students were able to meet and attend workshops with renewed experts, celebrated designers, teachers and entrepreneurs.
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| marchesa co-founder with students at the white house. photo: georgina chapman |
the second, happened right in my old backyard/hometown. an old, iconic art-deco building, the knapp's center was transformed (and renamed 'the runway') over the last 5 years into an incubator for up-and-coming fashion talent in the area. this building holds a special place in my heart, not only for the great architecture, but for the wonderful memories held of my mother and i shopping there together prior to the downfall of its' anchor department store back in the early 80's. the building houses 12 leasable offices, state of the art machinery that otherwise may not be affordable to a single designer, and a floor dedicated to a showroom-like space for displaying the fashions.
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this is all so inspiring, exciting and positive for the creative set of fashion designers and enthusiasts and people like me who like to stay informed, and be involved with new up-and-coming designers. have a wonderful friday, dana
About 15 years ago, there was a little shop inside the Knapp's building where I would buy ice cream on my lunch hour. I didn't realize that the incubator was the plan for it; great idea, I'll have to try to check it out one of these days. Xoxo
ReplyDeletei don't recall the ice cream shop. after it closed in the 80's it was turned into a nightclub and restaurant that i had vip access to with all my design friends that attended the institute of merchandising and design school. those were fun times! it's good to see the building come back to life again. xx, dana
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